Labor Inspection Finds 33 Violations At County Highway

CANTON - A state Labor Department inspection report of the St. Lawrence County Highway Department cites 33 safety violations, 24 of them serious.

Serious violations in the report, released Wednesday, include the lack of a "no smoking" sign on a diesel pump at the Potsdam building and middle railings on stairways, the absence of a blade-guard on a band saw, improperly labeled electrical breaker panel switches which were not covered with blue tape, a side exit in the Russell building that was locked, unmarked exits, and an exit sign, apparently a joke, above a men's bathroom door.

Violations are considered serious "if there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result," according to Labor Department spokesman Joseph B. Morrissey. The only other violation classification is nonserious.

"Ninety percent or more of the items have already been addressed," said William E. Dashnaw, highway superintendent. "There are a few other items that will be taken care of."

The inspection by the Labor Department's Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau was conducted in February. State officials said the inspection was routine, but several Highway Department employees said they had lodged complaints with the state because inadequate training was putting workers at risk.

The report cites three training inadequacies, for workplace violence prevention, energy control training on devices which could release stored energy and tree-cutting-crew training to conform with logging operation standards. The tree-cutting training violation was classified nonserious. There were five citations associated with workplace violence prevention training.

"The lack of training had much to do with the way we had documented it," Mr. Dashnaw said. "We had trained for workplace violence, but we hadn't gotten to the risk assessment portion yet and put a plan together to mitigate risks."

Violations must be corrected by specific dates that vary for each citation. The earliest by which violations have to be addressed is April 5. The latest is July 20. Mr. Dashnaw said violations will be corrected within their specified time frames.

The other serious violations are:

* A cage for a forklift, used to change light bulbs, was built by employees without the manufacturer's written approval.

* Work rests on bench grinders were adjusted to a half-inch opening.

* The distance between the tongue guard and the abrasive wheel of two bench grinders was set at 3/4 inch and 1 1/2 inches.

* A band saw pulley was not completely enclosed.

* A wall heater in the Madrid building was partially covered with duct tape.

* Relocatable power taps were mounted to walls and used for break room kitchen appliances and a space heater under an employee's desk.

* Garbage was stored in front of an electrical panel box in the Potsdam building.

* A three-to-two electrical adapter was being used for a ceiling-light plug.

* There was an open knockout in a furnace electrical box.

* Three power cords were cracked or partially covered with tape.

* An exit sign was not lit.